The Necromancer
by sunstarunicorn
Summary: Who resurrected the Shade of Matt Peck, one time best friend to Sam Braddock? Team One assumes it was Ryan Peck, desperate to have his brother back…they're wrong. Even as Team One celebrates getting their teammates back safe, darkness lurks…plotting its next move. A Magical Flashpoint Side Story


Author note: This story is part of the Magical Flashpoint Side Story series. It follows "Be Strong and Very Courageous" and comes before "Blessings".

Although all original characters belong to me, I do not own _Flashpoint_ , _Harry Potter_ , _Narnia_ , or _Merlin_.

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Fury flashed in the creature's red eyes and he raged against the great _cat_ , railing fruitlessly against the utter collapse of his latest gambit. It had been so _perfect_ …crafted with exquisite care and attention to detail. Morgana Le Fay herself had given Tash the opportunity; her illusion in the Netherworld providing a single, tiny opening that Tash had taken _full_ advantage of. The soul of a young soldier, cut down in his prime, _ripe_ for the taking; Tash had gloried in snatching the soldier away from his rest, using him against his family and friends.

The brother – Tash sneered – had been all too eager to believe every word out of the puppet's mouth; lapping up Tash's assurances and promises like an eager to please puppy. The would-be girlfriend and the follower soldier, too, had been very obliging…following Tash's puppet with no hesitation whatsoever. Tash's servant among them had been in his element…thoroughly enjoying the chaos Tash's puppet sowed; such a pity that one was now imprisoned – locked away by those he hated so.

But the Hawk, keen-eyed and with wisdom to spare…he had _ruined everything_. As Tash's puppet and the brother crushed the blond sniper's spirit, the Hawk summoned the pesky little geeky _runt_ and arranged for the _runt_ to join his teammate. Then, _then_ , as if that hadn't been enough, the Hawk gave the _runt_ all the opening he needed to wreck the ritual _and_ gave the _runt_ the key to freeing his pathetic sniper.

If Tash could have ripped the Hawk limb from limb, he would have done it in that moment…without a lick of hesitation and with full, fine disregard of the consequences. How _dare_ the Hawk interfere with _him_ , how _dare_ the Hawk destroy his glorious, wonderful plot. The rage soon turned on its usual target, Tash howling his outrage at the _cat_ and the _cat's_ oh-so- _noble_ Father. Only the _cat_ could have arranged this, only the _cat_ could have set the wheels to free the sniper and the runt in motion.

When the rage dimmed to a level where Tash could think and plan again, he paced in his misbegotten cave, considering plots, tracing where they could lead. The Hawk, in the larger scheme of things, was irrelevant; seeking revenge against him would merely distract from Tash's _true_ target: the _cat's_ simpering little magical heirs and the – Tash sneered again – humans they called family.

Tash paced longer, the threads of his next plots coming together like fine silk spiderwebs; with the greatest of delicacy he wove them together. _Yes,_ he mused, _the grand gestures make for better sport, but perhaps a smaller array of trials and troubles…_

The guardian's past, rich with strife and loss, could be made to serve again; a sharp reminder of what he had lost and could never reclaim…the son he sought to reconnect with…yes, yes, it could work. The boy's rejection of the father he barely remembered would not crush the man, not on its own, but it would serve as a useful tool to pick and needle and weaken the guardian. To that, Tash gleefully added another future burden…the guardian forced to step aside as another came in and analyzed his precious little team; one whose reputation as a 'team-buster' was well earned.

The _runt_ , with his already tense family situation, could be brought under even _more_ pressure; already his mother railed at him for going off alone and risking his life. Perhaps some…unexpected…health difficulties? Not for the _runt_ , oh no, that would never do…the runt's mother would drop her objections faster than Tash could drop a stone. No, Tash had another in mind…the pressure on the runt would rise, forcing a decision, a choice the runt did not want. Family or friends. Tash's claws clicked together as he hissed in satisfaction.

The creature's plans moved forward as he studied his next targets…the female and her one-time boyfriend. For now, they obediently abided by the guardian's firm ruling, but if a touch of enticement, a touch of encouragement was brought to bear…yes, that might do. After all, the guardian's ruling interfered with _their_ happiness…how _could_ he do such a thing if he _truly_ cared about them? Surely, he would _understand_ their wish to simply be happy? It was not such a terrible thing, not an egregious violation…was it? Again, the creature hissed in satisfaction. Humans…so easy to tempt and fool…it would be child's play.

The team leader, with his already unhappy wife and son, would be simple to deal with. Should the wife make her demands and stance clear, the team leader would be forced to choose, much like the runt; family or friends. Any delays in choosing and, well, the choice would be made _for_ the team leader…just the way Tash liked it. The team leader would be resentful and angry at _both_ his wife _and_ his teammates…just that much _easier_ to shatter them all. Thoughtfully, Tash mused upon which incidents would _most_ bother the wife, choosing those where her husband had been in the line of fire with a sense of vicious delight.

Attention now fell on the last two members of that misbegotten team…the tall, strong brunet and the one who should have _died_ months earlier. The _perfect_ trap, closing the jaws of death around that one with mere _seconds_ to sweet, wonderful tragedy…and that _insolent_ little gryphon had _interfered_. Tash's claws screeched like nails on a chalkboard as he seethed. For now, the almost dead one was beyond him; the _cat's_ warning after the trap had been rather dire. But the other, broad of shoulder, strong of heart…he _could_ go after _him_. Already, the ideal solution was in play, in motion…a lurking aliment, undiscovered as yet, but soon…yes very soon.

The slightest crack, the merest divide between the humans, and they would fall. Together or one-by-one, it did not matter to the creature. And once _they_ had fallen, the _cat's_ heirs would at last be exposed to Tash's servants. Then, Tash could deal with the pair at his leisure…as well as arranging a suitable _reward_ for the Hawk and the foolish young Auror. And should his death of many cuts fail, foiled by the _cat_ once more…then, perhaps, a _most_ intriguing family reunion might take place. Yes, yes, that had much to recommend it, many factors that would make for a truly _delicious_ scene of misery and betrayal.

Tash's laughter rang in his cave, sending demons for miles scattering for cover. Certainly, he favored bringing the _cat's_ followers down in as dramatic a fashion as possible, but, sometimes…small and subtle really was the _only_ way to go.

"Aslan, see what I _have_ for you!" was the triumphant howl as a new storm rose in the desolate land.

 _~ Fin_


End file.
